Rear-wheel fitting of cycle-frames.



O. G. MOKELLAR- BEAR WHEEL FITTING 0F CYCLE FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1911.

1 ,024=,2 1 6. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFFI CFE.

CECIL GEORGE MOKELLAR, OF CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

REAR-WHEEL FITTING- OF CYCLE-FRAMES.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CECIL GEORGE MCKEL- LAR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 100 Gloucester street, Christchurch, in the Province of Canterbury and Dominion of New Zealand, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to the Rear-IVheel Fittings of Cycle- Frames, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fittings for the attachment of the rear wheels of cycles to the frame, its object being the provision of an inexpensive construction in which the weight of the machine and rider is carried by the bearing cone of the rear wheel.

Vith this object in view the said construction comprises a pair of plates which are adapted to be secured to the rearward extremities of the tubing forming the back forks of the cycle, such plates being each provided with the usual slot to receive the axle of the wheel and allow of suflicient movement for chain adjustment purposes, while upon the inner surface of such plate at a point above the slot, is formed an inwardly projecting ridge which is adapted to rest upon the outer end of the bearing cone or upon a fitting mounted upon such cone. In order to provide for its attachment to the forks, the forward ends of such plates are formed into shanks adapted to fit within the tubing, special means being employed to secure such shanks in place during the brazing of the joints.

In order that the nature of the said inven tion may be fully understood reference will now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the invention applied to that type in which the tension adjustment of the chain is eflected by means of an eccentric plate or cam. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of Fig. 1 on the line AA. Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section showing the plate and the method of attaching such to the tubing. Fig. 4: shows the invention applied to the type of mounting in which the chain adjustment slot is formed with its opening in rear, and illus trating also an alternative method of forming the ridge for that purpose shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of Fig. 4 on the line CG, and Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections through the plate Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912. Serial No. 631,036.

illustrating further alternatives for the method of forming the ridge.

1 is a plate attached to the rear extremities of the tubing forming the rear forks 2 of the cycle frame and provided with a slot 3 adapted to receive the axle 4; and allow of a certain amount of movement of the latter rearward within such slot for the purpose of providing tension adjustment for the chain. Formed upon the inner surface of the plate 1, at a point above the slot 2, is an inwardly projecting ridge 5 which is adapted to rest either upon the boss or shoulder of the cam 6, which is mounted upon the outer end of the bearing cone '7, where such is employed or else directly upon the outer end of such cone as shown in Fig. 5. The method of manufacture of such plate consists preferably of stamping it with its slot complete, from sheet metal, in which case the ridge is provided by forming an indentation in the outer face of such plate above its slot, thus producing the corresponding ridge upon the inner face, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. As a modification of this method, the plate may be stamped out leaving a lug or portion projecting at the upper edge of such plate, in which case the ridge is provided by folding such lug over upon the inner face of the said plate, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. As further alternatives of construction the plate 1 may be pressed or drop-forged from metal of heavier section in which case the ridge 5 may be made solid and integral with such plate according to Fig. 6 or again the said ridge may take the form of a bar of metal riveted, electrically welded, or otherwise attached to the inner face of the plate 1, and I do not therefore confine this feature of the invention to any particular method of manufacture but to the use of a ridge formed upon the inner face of the plate and adapted to bear upon the bearing cone directly or upon some fitting mounted thereon for the purpose of carrying the weight.

The forward end of the plate 1 is somewhat reduced in width to form a shank S which is either fiat or molded so as to fit closely against a portion of the inner face of the tubing forming the fork 2, in which it is inserted, a strip of metal 9 bent to the required shape being wedged into such tube so as to hold the shank in place after which the whole is brazed together thus making a secure joint. In order to close the end of the tubing, the strip 9 may be provided with a rearwardly extending lug or projection which may be bent around to meet the outer face of the shank as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that by the construction as above described, a satisfactory fitting for the rear wheel of a cycle may be provided at comparatively small cost due to the fact that the whole may be stamped or pressed from sheet or thin metal without necessitating any machining, while the method of supporting the weight by means of the ridge, removes all weight from the portion of the axle within the slot, thus allowing of such slot being made of a size to receive such axle neatly without danger of damage totits threads.

I claim 1. In an article of the character indicated, the combination with the rear fork of a cycle, of a plate provided with a slot to receive the rear axle and having a ridge projecting from its inner face, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a plate having a forwardly projecting shank adapted to be brazed within the tubing forming the rear fork of a cycle, a slot formed in said plate to receive the rear axle,

produce a corresponding ridge upon the in I ner surface, the whole being stamped from sheet metal, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an article of the character indicated the combination with the rear forks of a slotted plate adapted to form the mounting of the rear wheel, said plate being formed with a forwardly projecting shank adapted to fit within the tubing forming said fork, said shank being mounted so asto conform to the shape of the portion of the inner surface of such tubing to which it is secured, and a strip of metal bent to the required shape and wedged within the tubing so as to hold the shank in place during the brazing of the joint a portion of said metal strip being bent up so as to serve as a means of closing the end of the tubing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CECIL GEORGE MGKELLAR.

Witnesses:

PERCY RICHMOND CHINIE, CYRIL CARLYN CoA'rEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

